A harbour pilot from PSA Marine died on Feb 11, after falling into waters off Kusu Island.
The pilot fell overboard while disembarking from a tugboat to board a launch boat off the Southern Islands, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), adding that he was wearing a lifejacket at the time.
Following the accident, the Manpower Ministry said that this makes fifth workplace fatality of 2023. The incident took place near Kusu Island, which is part of the Southern Islands. Immediately, MPA, the Police Coast Guard and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) deployed patrol and emergency response vessels to conduct search and rescue operations.
It has been reported that MPA also activated divers to conduct an underwater search for the missing pilot and issued navigational safety broadcasts to the surrounding vessels to support the search efforts.
The Ministry of Manpower said it has instructed PSA Marine to appoint a workplace safety and health auditor to conduct a thorough audit of its risk assessment and work processes. While investigations are ongoing, the Ministry reminded the importance of keeping good situational awareness, exercising extreme caution, and knowing the risk of transfer operations.
Also, appropriate life jackets should be donned, and three-point contact must be maintained when embarking or disembarking between vessels at sea.